Little Miss Living
by Voemae Patterson
Summary: Victor and Victoria have been married for a few months and are happy. One day a Lord and Lady move to the small Victorian town and the Lady Emilia looks exactly like Emily, only alive... Victor plays a piano duet with Emilia and a familiar feeling overcomes the two. Victor is shaken with the thought, "this can't possibly be Emily... Could it?"
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Not a Corpse nor a Bride

I haven't written fanfiction in a long time so I hope you like it. Tim Burton owns the characters.

….

It had been several months since Victor and Victoria wed. They lived in the Van Dort Manor together. The fish company was thriving and everything since the walking dead incedent seemed much brighter and full of life. Things weren't so grey and the whole village was much happier.

Victor and Victoria were happily married. Everything seemed to be going according to plan. Every once in a while though, Victor found himself thinking about Emily. Especially when he took part in his favorite hobby of observing and studying butterfly species. He remembered the swarm of them taking Emily into the moon lit night. Without a trace she was gone, like she was never there. He never did get a proper goodbye.

It was early morning in the Van Dort house and Victor was printing every detail of the butterfly he had under a glass as it fluttered. As always he opened his window and let it go free once he was done with it. He watched it fly away towards the forest across the bridge in the sun rise. He was so spaced out he didn't realize his name was being called until a hand on his should scared him back to reality.

"Huh!?" He jumped turning to see his lovely wife giggling at his clumsiness.

"Victor darling, are you alright?" She asked.

He smiled and sighed, "Oh, Victoria, y-yes, I'm fine. D-did you need something my dear?"

"I was just going to tell you breakfast was ready."

"Ah yes, thank you, I'll be down in a bit."

Victoria went down to the dining room first and Victor soon followed.

While at breakfast Nell Van Dort, Victor's mother, began her daily gossip as usual. "Victor, listen up!" She said. "Lord and Lady Cartner are moving in the empty mansion just out of town, they're from the city, apparently they came for the quiet life."

"And why does this concern me?" Victor asked.

"Your father has already gone to greet them, obviously you must befriend them, it's only natural for high society types like us. I expect you to pay them a visit."

...

The next day while Victor was at work he was paid a visit by none other then Lord Cartner. Johnathon Cartner was tall and had blonde hair. He wore a fancy dark blue tail coat and walked with confidence. Right away Victor knew who he was.

"Lord Cartner I presume?" He said as he went up to shake his hand.

"The one and only. But you my friend can call me Johnathan."

"It's a pleasure, J-Johnathan." He cleared his throat. "I'm-"

Before he could finish Johnathan cut him off. "Victor Van Dort if I'm not mistaken! I hear you're the man to see about some fish." He winked. "Victor I'm going to be frank with you, I know little about the fish industry, my wealth is by the making of watches and other little gadgets, so I'm clueless with seafood."

Victor, taken back by Johnathan's wild personality awkwardly smiled. "I see, well your in luck, I certainly know a bit about the subject." he chuckled.

He patted Victor on the back and smiled. "I hear you're married as well old chap?"

"Y-yes."

"Then you'll understand my dilemma. My lovely wife, Emilia, her favorite meal is a seasoned cooked fish and For our first dinner in this town I'd like it to go perfectly, but I myself don't care much for the fish, so I'd like you to sell me your absolute best catch of the day." He explained to Victor while they cruised around the barrels of fish.

"I know what you mean. Well, I don't know L-lady Cartner, but, but Victoria, my wife, she quite enjoys this one over here." Victor leads him to a few fish resting on ice.

The two continue their talk about fish and it soon turned into a conversation about their wives and they just ended up spending most of the day together. Surprisingly the two hit it off and became fast friends. Victor was always quite awkward and didn't really have any friends. Johnathan was the type who made friends easily and was a very likable guy. Their difference's made it a bit awkward in the beginning but with his tenacious character it brought out Victor's humor.

In the end Johnathan invited Victor and his wife Victoria to the Cartner Manor for dinner. Unfortunately the two had dinner plans at his in-laws. So Cartner extended the invitation to the next day for brunch. Victor happily accepted and was giddy to tell Victoria the news knowing she'd be ecstatic.

….

The next day Victor and Victoria got in the carriage around noon and headed a bit out of town to the Cartner's place. Upon arrival Johnathan met them at the door and welcomed them into his glorious Victorian mansion. He introduced himself to Victoria and they had a lovely chat about the décor and such. Victor was going to enter the conversation until the tune of a piano caught his ear. He looked to the right and there was a small hall lit up with light most likely shining from the window in the parlor. Victoria noticed the music as well. It was soft and echoed throughout the house. It reminded Victor about the melody he had played with... Emily.

Johnathan noticed the couple's distraction. "Lovely isn't it?" His question brought their attention back.

"Y-yes. W-who might I ask, is playing?" Victor asked caught off guard.

"It's quite beautiful.." Victoria inquired.

"That would be my wife, she's very talented, do you play Lady Van Dort?" He asked while leading them to the parlor.

"I do not, my mother thought it was not for a lady, too passionate... Silly isn't it?"

Johnathan showed a compassionate face feeling bad for Victoria. "Silly doesn't begin to describe it, passion is what leads to all the great thing in the world. It's a shame really, sorry for prying."

Victoria laughed to shake off the pity, "No reason to be sorry, besides, Victor plays the piano rather beautifully."

"Really, Vic old pal? You must be quite good for your wife to praise you so. I unfortunately am not talented enough in the musical areas."

"I'm sure you'd play just as well if you practice." Victor assured him.

"Maybe if you'd be so kind to play a duet with my wife?"

Victor awkwardly looked at Victoria who in turn smiled at him as if to say it was okay with her. Victor was about to answer when they entered the parlor and witnessed Lady Cartner playing the piano in front of a tall open window. The wind blew a gently in the room making the shear white curtains dance around the grand piano.

"Emilia my darling, come welcome our guest." Johnathan said as he walked up to his wife putting a hand on her lower back while she stood.

Emilia Cartner stood up in a fitted light blue dress. She had long curly brown hair and soft pink lips that formed into a smile. Her skin was almost a peachy light pink color and she looked so full of life. She looked exactly like Emily, except, she was alive. Victor's heart skipped a beat and without thinking he instinctually blurted out, "Emily?"

Victoria also thought she bore a resemblance but was still shocked at her husband. Thinking fast Victoria tried to save Victor from an awkward situation. "Emilia, Lord Cartner said her name was Emilia Cartner."

Victor realized his rude manners. "R-right! My apologies Lady Emily, I-I mean Cartner, so sorry Lady Cartner."

She giggled, exactly like Emily Victor noted, "It's alright, Lady Van Dort you are most enchanting, you must forgive me, I haven't done anything with my hair, I lost track of time while I was playing."

"N-no, you play very good, it was our pleasure to hear." Victor said. Without knowing he had been starring at her the whole time. Johnathan didn't seem to notice unlike Victoria. He must've been making an odd expression because Victoria grabbed a hold of his arm.

Johnathan still had a hand on Emilia's back. "Do you play Lord Van Dort?" She asked.

"Yes." He responded a bit too fast. He couldn't help himself, he was a bit in awe. He was calming himself down and gaining his composure knowing that Emily was gone. He had made his peace with it but every once and a while he couldn't help thinking about her. What if he married her? What if she stayed? What if he died? How is she? What is she now? Will they ever meet again in another life? So many thoughts, but in the end he was certain he made the right decision.

"Well lets all make our way to brunch shall we?"

…..

Victoria and Emilia hit it off just as well as Victor and Johnathan. All four of them got along better then any of them thought they would. Over the next three months all four of them did many activities together such as horse riding, reading, picnics, dining together and just enjoying each others company.

Victor had pushed his thoughts of Emily to the back of his mind, or at least he tried. He tried to drown himself in Victoria, but every time he saw Emilia he couldn't shake a feeling of Emily. Although over the months Victoria was convinced Victor didn't pay much attention to it anymore and no one was the wiser.

One day the four were going to go for a day outing, but Victoria wasn't feeling well so she sent Victor to tell the Cartners they'd have to reschedule. Victor was let into the home by a butler and was told Lord Cartner was running late. He waited in the entry for a few minutes before hearing the familiar sound of the piano again. He slowly walked into the parlor seeing Emilia playing again, then suddenly she hit multiple keys at once showing her frustration.

Victor cautiously walked toward her. She thought it was her husband and she ignored him looking the opposite direction obviously unhappy. Victor sat down and began to play the same song he had done a duet with Emily in the land of the dead. He remembered how it made Emily feel better to play. It worked for Emilia too. She knew her husband couldn't play piano so she melancholily started to play with victor. The more Victor got into it so did she. She finished the song with the high noted keys on his side and accidentally had her ring fall off. He picked it up for her.

She giggled. "Pardon my enthusiasm." She said while he took her hand and slipped the ring on her thin finger.

"I like your enthusiasm." He said with a deja vu moment. They looked into each others eyes for what seemed like an eternity and he still held her hand. He noted her warmth and how Emily was cold.

"Sorry, I seem a bit moody." She then took her hand back.

"No, no not at all." She gave him a look that said she knows she's moody. "I mean just a bit." He laughed. "Is something wrong."

She was quiet for a while making things awkward, especially since she was eyeing him. "I don't know why, but all of this, you, we seem so familiar."

His eyes widened and he relax, "M-me too! Emily, I mean Lady Emilia, Cartner... I also find you familiar, or it's more like I know you."

"Yes, me as well. I'm sure we've never met before, so how..?" She brushed her hand on his right shoulder focusing on the seams of the fabric.

"I-" A door bursting open was heard coming from the entrance and both of them could hear Johnathan yelling in a lured voice as if he were drunk, which he was. Victor and Emilia stood up from the piano stool and backed away from each other. "I-I'm sorry, I forgot I came hear with the message that Victoria is ill today and as such we will not be able to accompany you and Lord Cartner."

Johnathan Walked in and immediately Emilia was back in a sour mood. "Emilia here you are! And with Victor? Without an escort!?" He stumbled onto a chaise and laughed, "I'm only kidding Victor, I know you'd not think so much as to lay a finger on my wife. So, where's your Lady wife old man?" He looked around the room.

Emilia walked over to him and helped him off the chaise. "Dear, Victoria is under the weather today and wont be joining us, Victor has kindly come all this way to inform us. I'll walk him out while you head to the dining room for lunch."

"Leaving so soon Victor!? Come eat!" John said as he stumbled his way to the dining room with the help of some servants.

Emilia watched him exit the room and then walked Victor to the door. "I'm so sorry you had to see that, please don't ever mention it to anyone, not even Lady Van Dort."

"Worry not. I understand now, is this the reason you were upset?"

"Some days he drinks from dusk till dawn... He says he'll quit but he can't help himself." She put a hand to her head as if in a bit of pain.

"Are you alright?"

"Nothing more then a headache. It happens sometimes, it'll go away soon."

Victor smiled and commented, "It was a pleasure playing a duet with you."

"The pleasure was all mine. My husband hasn't the patience nor least bit of interest in learning music, it was refreshing to play with someone."

"Perhaps then, I shall accompany you another day for a duet?" Victor felt he had been too forward with his offer. "That is, if you w-want too..."

"I do."

I hope you liked it. Is the font big or is it just me?


	2. Blue Butterfly

Chapter two: Blue Butterfly

Hope you enjoy it!

It had been two weeks since the Van Dort's had talked to the Cartners. Victor sat at the piano playing the same tune over and over again. Victoria entered the room with a tray of refreshments, she was concerned for her husband. He seemed to stare off into space more often since she was sick.

"Victor, I brought you something to drink." Victor was still playing the piano so she set the tray on the piano. "Victor?"

He was startled by it and jumped up knocking down the piano stool. "Oh, Victoria, sorry, you startled me." He picked up the stool and took a glass from his wife. "Thank you."

"Victor I'm worried about you, is everything okay?"

"Yes of course. W-was there something else?"

Victoria smiled, "Actually Lord and Lady Cartner invited us to play a round of cribbage with them today. Can we go?"

Victor put the glass down and tried to contain his excitement. "Sounds perfect, why don't you get ready and I'll send a reply."

...

When they arrived the help took them to the back where the game was set up. Johnathan and Emilia were waiting for them. The day went by without a hitch. When night was nearing they said their goodbyes and made their way to the entrance.

"You must come to our place for dinner this next time." Victoria invited them.

"A wonderful idea as always Lady Van Dort. We'll see you then." Johnathan said.

Victor and Victoria got into their carriage and headed back to town. The next night the Cartners arrived at the Van Dort manor. All four of them sat in the parlor before dinner was ready. Victoria went to check on the kitchen staff and Johnathan went to the rest room, leaving Victor and Emilia alone.

The silence could kill. Emilia stood up and walked over to the window looking at the full moon. "Sometimes you just forget how beautiful the moonlight is."

Victor stood up and walked towards her. "When you spend so much time in darkness, you just, forget..." Both their gaze's went from the moon to each other.

"Darkness?" She asked.

"Nothing, please excuse me."

She looked back to the moon. "I suppose we all have a darkness. I did not wish to marry Johnathan at first but now I adore him, although I still have small doubts I am ashamed of."

"I was terrified of marriage, but when I first met Victoria I felt I should be with her always, and our wedding would not come soon enough." He looked at his wedding ring. "She made the darkness fade..."

Emilia smiled. "John is like my burning candle, leading me out of the darkness. He can't hurt me, I'm fortunate to have such a husband." She fondly sighed.

While the moon lit her up in a shade of blue victor continued. "But," He looked at her, "I must admit, there was another before I married Victoria."

She looked at him in disbelief. "Really?"

"You can say, she was different. I was terrified of her more then marriage." He laughed to himself. "But her spirit, her laughter, her smile, it made her seem more alive then anyone I've ever known." He leaned on the window sill. "She found herself in darkness because she was dealt an unfair card by life, but she didn't let it get to her. She made all darkness go away."

"Well, what happened to her?"

His smile faded. "All she ever wanted in life or death was to be a bride. And due to complicated circumstances I was fully ready to lay my life for her."

"You were going to marry her? But Victoria-?"

He shook his head. "Victoria had a complications at the time."

"What happened?"

"We didn't know each other long, but she made the ultimate sacrifice for me and Victoria. She also died young. Too young..."

Emilia covered her mouth with her hands. She gasped in disbelief. "I'm so sorry. That poor girl."

He gave her a weak smile. "It's fine, I believe she's at peace."

Before they could say anything else Johnathan barged through the door laughing. He explained to them he got lost in the halls. Not a moment to soon Victoria came in as well announcing dinner was ready to be served.

The rest of the night Victor and Emilia exchanged glances across the table and through conversation. Victor felt a weight off his shoulders for some reason. He talked to Victoria about everything, but he could never bring himself to mention Emily to her. Not for her sake but it was a sensitive topic for himself.

For the next two month the four got closer and closer. Often Victor would just hang out with Johnathan alone and vise versa with the wives. Once in a while Victor and Emilia did play the piano together and have chats with each other when their spouses were busy elsewhere.

...

Victor and Emilia were walking in the forest together finding all types of flowers. If and when they saw each other they'd meet either at the Cartner manor or the forest away from town to escape any ridicule. When John isn't home they meet there and play the piano together.

Emilia confided in Victor about her husbands drinking problem. Johnathan doesn't physically hurt her but when he's drunk he does emotionally abuse her about how she's lucky to be married to him and married at all. Petty taunting he wouldn't say out loud sober. Victor was a shoulder to cry on, but she never let it get to her.

The two were strolling in the forest for about an hour and Emilia made herself a flower crown. "How do I look?"

"Like a bride actually."

She giggled. "I used to dream of my wedding day when I was a little girl..." suddenly a blue butterfly fluttered on her shoulder. "Hello there." She greeted the tiny creature.

"I haven't seen such a lovely shade of blue on a butterfly in a while."

The butterfly fluttered around them landing on victors hand. "Do you often see butterflies?"

He held the little guy up to his face for a closer look. "It's one of my hobbies. I like to sketch them in detail and study them before letting them go."

"Remarkable."

"This little guy is probably looking for a mate." The butterfly flew away.

"How do you know it's a boy?"

They stood watching it disappear into the deep forest. "Well I don't, but most butterflies are male."

"You know, butterflies actually like the taste of tears and quite morbidly human corpses as well."

Victor's head snapped to Emilia in complete shock at her statement. "Corpse's? How on earth...?"

Emilia was embarrassed for randomly blurting out the fact. "Oh my, so sorry, that was a grim topic indeed. You see once someone I knew well passed away when I was little and the family had an open casket funeral. Well a butterfly landed on them and no one knew why... I read in in a book, but because butterflies don't have teeth they lick the person, so in a way it's like very small kisses." She cleared her throat. "Well, I like to believe butterflies help take the soul of the person away, to their loved ones whom have passed on as well."

Victor was bewitched by every word, Emilia was not what a young lady ought to be, no, she was different, better. He liked the idea of butterflies guiding the soul to the land of the dead.

….

The next time Victor and Emilia met up in was at the Cartner mansion. They were in the back in the grassy yard playing a game of cribbage before Victor left for the day to return to his wife and before Johnathan returned home.

Emilia was dancing around in the sun twirling around Victor. He happily watched her enjoying herself. Until she tripped falling in the grass. "Lady Cartner!" Victor went to help her up only to trip as well falling down next to her. "My apologies." He murmured.

She laughed and laid on her back looking at the sky. Victor turned on his back as well, still laying next to her. "Victor?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you call me Emily sometimes?"

He looked at her and she was looking at him with a quizzical brow. "Slip of the tongue? Both names are-" He paused seeing how she wasn't going to believe any excuse he would give her. He sighed and looked back up to the sky. "You look so much like her." He sat up.

She sat up as well. "Emily, she's the girl you almost married, isn't she?"

"Yes." He stood up offering her a hand and pulling her up with him.

"We look alike?"

"Not just look alike, everything you do is exactly like her, She loved playing the piano, and she was kind and liked the moon light. You two are the same in everyway but one."

"What's the one?"

"She was dead."


	3. Memories of Darkness

Short Chapter...…. Sorry...

Chapter 3: Memories of Darkness

"She was dead."

Victor replayed those three words over and over again in his head. He face palmed himself so much he got a headache. 'How stupid could he be?' He thought to himself. Of course she reacted the way she did. Any sane person would do what she did, or worse actually.

After Victor had said those words Emilia tried to understand, "You mean she's dead now." Emphasis on 'Now'. Victor shook his head and explained to her everything. How the dead walked amongst the living, how Victoria was wed to Lord Barkis and how the lord was the one who killed Emily in the beginning. He told her how he got to the underworld and most importantly how Emily, a living corpse, was taken away in a heard of Butterflies.

It had been three weeks since Emilia and Victor had spoken to each other let alone seen each other. She left Victor alone in the woods and never sought him out again, nor did he. Victoria walked into the room bouncing his thoughts to her.

"Victor, I was thinking we go out today?"

He sighed and smiled at his wife. HIS Wife. The woman he chose. A living bride. Whom he loved dearly. "Sorry my dear, I have business at the fish factory."

"Again? You've been awfully busy lately. Tell me, is something wrong?" She sat on their chaise and patted a spot next to her for him to sit.

He sat down and made an excuse that he was just stressed about business and such. She reasoned with him that he needed to take his mind off things with a day off. He agreed with her and they went for a stroll and then lunch. The day was exactly what he needed. He felt refreshed and hardly worried about Emilia. Before they knew it evening was upon them and they decided to head home.

The servants took their coats as they walked in and one was carrying a silver plater with an envelope on the top. "A letter addressed to Lord Van Dort." Victor received it thanking the servant and Victoria went ahead to freshen up for supper. Victor went to his study, the letter had no address.

He sat down and open the wax seal pulling out the paper. It Read:

Dear Victor,

I hope this letter finds you well. I want to apologize for my sudden and unexplained absence, but surely you understand why. I needed time to process the information and accusations you have made. At first I believed you to be a loon. Or perhaps just imaginative to the point you believed your own stories to be true. I even considered Emily to be a sort of ghost haunting your home. All in all I knew these ideas to be false. I know you. And I know what you are capable of. And lying is not something you'd do lightly.

I wanted to believe you so I took the matter into my own hands and researched. I asked many of the towns people and even sought advice of Pastor Galswells. As shocked as I was, it is undeniable that what you've told me was the truth. The dead did walk the earth that night. The night you had a Corpse Bride.

In the days we spoke, we told one another many things people don't tell acquaintances. Since I was young I wanted to get married, and that's true, but to be honest It's not so much a memory of when I was young as it is a feeling. In truth I have little memory of my childhood and growing up in my wealth. I have all these emotions and feeling in my head and heart of what it was like but no clear picture. My life seemed filled with darkness and many memories have been overshadowed by nightmares. As far as I can remember I've had these terrible headaches, like someone hit me in the head.

Every night for the past years I've had what I thought to be nightmares. Skeletons, zombies, spiders and a voice in my head. A tiny familiar voice eating at my brain. Only after hearing your story about Emily did I come to realize the darkness and nightmares aren't what they appear to be. So I write you this letter hoping you'll help me understand, what are these memories of darkness? And why are you all I can think about?

So in conclusion to this letter, I ask for your forgiveness. Forgive me for forgetting. For forgetting you, victor. I was lost in the dark, and you led me out in the moon light. I want to remember. Who was she? Who am I? I want to remember you again.

Sincerely,

Emilia Cartner.

Victor held the letter carefully as his hands shook. It was her. It was always her. She was here and she was alive. Without a second thought he dropped the letter and ran out of the study and out the front doors. He didn't have time to grab a coat and he bumped into the corner of the door ripping his seam on the shoulder. He ran through town about to cross the bridge to get the Cartner manor when he saw her. She didn't turn around as he approached her.

He was panting after running to her. Her hair was down as usual and she wore a long light blue dress. She was radiant under the moonlight and the wind blew her hair majestically. Her silhouette was breathtaking and he knew. He knew she knew. How could she not.

"This is where we stood." Her voice was calm and collected, much more then Victor's would be as he nervously approached her.

"Emily."

She turned around and smiled.

"Yes, Victor?"


End file.
